plate no. 3261

Peisaj din La Ciotat

Jean Alexandru Steriadi, 1933

oilImpressionismcityscapebuildingsboatswatercityscapeskyposters

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and layering brushstrokes to create texture and depth. It's a good exercise in capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the placement of the buildings, boats, and the overall perspective.
step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of light blue, allowing for variations in tone.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the buildings with a base color of yellow ochre and raw sienna, varying the tones to suggest light and shadow.
step 04
Add the red roofs using a mix of cadmium red and burnt sienna, paying attention to the angles and perspective.
step 05
Paint the water with blues and greens, using horizontal strokes to create a sense of movement.
step 06
Add details to the boats, including the masts and rigging, using a fine brush.
step 07
Introduce the posters and other foreground elements, simplifying their shapes and colors.
step 08
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt sienna · titanium white · sap green

Mix yellow ochre and raw sienna with white to create the base tones for the buildings. Use cadmium red and burnt sienna for the roofs. Mix ultramarine blue with white and a touch of green for the sky and water.

techniques

·broken color
·layering
·scumbling
·color mixing
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing
→Ignoring the perspective of the buildings
→Creating muddy colors by over-blending

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, raw sienna, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titanium white)
·Round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·Flat brushes (#6, #8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife